My interest in timelapse is what brought me to this forum as the Merlin has the potential to do both panoramic and panning timelapse. The Timelord software is interesting in that it allows for multiple exposures for HDR. Unfortunately is it only compatible with Nikon and I have invested in an Olympus SLR system.I would like to see:

My interest in timelapse is what brought me to this forum as the Merlin has the potential to do both panoramic and panning timelapse. The Timelord software is interesting in that it allows for multiple exposures for HDR. Unfortunately is it only compatible with Nikon and I have invested in an Olympus SLR system.I would like to see:

fma38 wrote:The first implementation of timelapse in Papywizard will be simple, and won't allow to make panoramic timelapse.

Do you have ideas for the GUI of the panning part? How do you want to define all positions? Do you need to shoot while moving?

No need to shoot while moving usually - but for using a videocamera releasing while panning would be a nice option . .

Panning-speed and frequency of shots should be independantly set of course. That means every time the head stops there must be a certain number of releases possible for bracketed shots.Defining the panning range should work like the usual defining: startpoint-endpoint, the numbers of stop/shoot points in-between defines the final panning-speed and -range. And the lenght of the movie . .

"25,000 shots on a DSLR for a 3 minute movie. That's half the quoted shutter life of a low end DSLR."

Yes - but thatÂ´s not time-lapse. ItÂ´s slow-motion . . You definitely wouldnÂ´t take a dslr for that . . 3min of video in normal speed means 4500 pics. (25fpsx60x3)In time-laps you cut the numbers of fps to get the moves faster - therefore you need to shoot a lot more as 3 minutes to get 3 minutes.LetÂ´s say you want 3 min@25fps of time-lapse movie by shooting one picture every 2 secs - take your calculator . .

For slow-motion you have to shoot very much more than 25fps to make moves slower when playback @25fps.

MediaVets, thanks, it is great to be here. I just received a Merlin yesterday and I have to try and figure out how to set-up before a ski trip on 2/26/09. Probably won't happen but it would be great if it could.

I like the interface for the Photo to iMovie in the provided link. I will have to think about an effective interface. Some time lapse involve linear motion in addition to vertical/horizontal panning:

[url][url]http://www.trevswork.com/mo/[/url][url]Notice the frame in this image can zoom in and out of the picture:

This could be an added feature in the future if control could be provided in a method similar to this:

The photos can be easily assembled with Quicktime Pro ($29 USD) into a movie format.

Yes, time lapse uses a lot of shutter actuations. However, the micro 4/3s format will allow me to use Zuiko lens on a camera body that will not have a mechanical shutter. So hopefully m4/3s will deliver increased shutter actuations.

Last edited by loddie on Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

loddie wrote:Yes, traveling along a path. You can see it in the video link I provided.

Software isn't necessary with the telescope mounts such as the Meade DS-2114ATS-TC Tripod. The motion of the mount can be control with the tethered hand-held controller. A time lapse remote shutter release is used for camera control, such as this one (I have same one with a different termination for the Olympus E-1):[url]MC-O1 Timer Remote Shutter For OLYMPUS E510 36-430[/url]

The photos can be easily assembled with Quicktime Pro ($29 USD) into a movie format.

Yes, time lapse uses a lot of shutter actuations. However, the micro 4/3s format will allow me to use Zuiko lens on a camera body that will not have a mechanical shutter. So hopefully m4/3s will deliver increased shutter actuations.

Hi loddie!

a linear move like the path you showed in your post is in my eyes better done using a video-editor in post-pro. Easy to be done and better controllable.

loddie wrote:Klaus, yes it could be accomplised in post-processing. However, would you have to have a much larger image to crop from. Memory can be a problem with longer time lapses.

And the point of view changes with a travelling; it can be important if you have a first plan very close...

Well - establishing a path-following in PW would mean a programmable Bezier-curve option. I know it from camera-cranes: you make a move and record it in the controller - and the controller generates an editable Bezier-curve which moves are optimized/cleaned and linearized. A perfect smooth move is the result.But i canÂ´t imagine a reason to use that in a time-lapsed movie . . . ok: a pathed move over a building, a landscape or so . . maybe.The charakter of a smooth move following a path occurs only in a long move - a slow and and long move . . That means very much single frames shot in time-lapse mode . . i guess at least 5 times as much as usual.

Regarding the fact that evey frame shot with a dslr has tons of redundant resolution compared to ehatÂ´s need for a movie in nstandard resolution i would prefer to do it in a movie/video-editor afterwards using a "rostrum camera" - famous as "Ken Burns" effect.

I guess it would be very comlicated to edit the move in PW - using editable Bezier-curves. Without editable Beziers the moves would be very un-smooth.At least in my opinion as an ex-cameraman . .

Don't know if a Bezier curve is really hard to code... I have to dig a little. What about starting with straight lines? We just point the different points, and record them as a path. Then, we should be able to give some informations for each lines: time to spend from start to end, number of shots and so.

Then, if possible, this can be changed to a Bezier curve, keeping the same philosophy.

klausesser wrote:Regarding the fact that evey frame shot with a dslr has tons of redundant resolution compared to ehatÂ´s need for a movie in nstandard resolution i would prefer to do it in a movie/video-editor afterwards using a "rostrum camera" - famous as "Ken Burns" effect.

This only works for a certain FOV right? Or you could capture full spherical time lapse and nodal pan around that - more options in post but also a lot of extra data.

klausesser wrote:I guess it would be very comlicated to edit the move in PW - using editable Bezier-curves. Without editable Beziers the moves would be very un-smooth.

I don't think this would be that complicated to edit, a simple path at least. Does it need to be a Bezier curve?

Drawing a path from point to point means a hard change of direction when you use a videocamera - and that would be a real good option: having a remote controlled and moving videocamera-head.You can mount a 5DMkII fore example, record a full-HD movie and use the pictures for making high-rez panos very fast.

If it doesnÂ´t mean too much effords: do it.

More important i would see multifocusing and an extended bracketing control when shooting tethered via the N800Â´s USB port into the cameraÂ´s USB port like Breeze does.

The latest beta has a simple wizard to set up extended bracketing and although it is doing a few things I don't yet understand it is very promising.

The downside is that having the camera hooked up to the PC via USB and uploading shots to the PC when they are taken seems to really hammer the battery and it was exhausted quite quickly - but the real nusiance is that since battery life is so good when using the camera conventionally I have only charged the battery twice since I 've had the camera and now I can't find the battery charger (serves me right for being so disorganised I guess ).

The new NKremote from Breeze Systems will do much more but it only works with a few higher end Nikon DSLRs and is very much more expensive.

Last edited by mediavets on Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.